Dude, this video helped me so much. I was going to get gauges repair $350 and new cluster $505 or a used one with a hell of a lot of mile - e.g. 250K miles when mine only had 68K. I tested the gauges and they were fine. In a shimmer of light I noticed under the green coating that a strip had burned out. If you go to 7:13 of your video, look at the lower right bulb. That thin outer strip had a burn break in it. When I tested it with a volt meter around where you right thumb is it read 12v. when I went past the break it read 3.4v I soldered a jumper wire and everything work perfectly now. I would not have attempted a troubleshoot without your excellent lead. My mind was locked into gauges when I have not experience with and I found an electrical problem when I am good at. Thank you!
Nice work Matt! I think all us tech's can unite and agree mechanical odometer clusters are yuky. Most of the time they are misdiagnosed, so time is spent to prove there is nothing wrong (usally truck wiring or bad sensors/ground) and if there is actually a problem in the cluster good parts are difficult to find, as you covered I agree!
Exactly why I don't offer them as a service. If they come in the mail because I forgot to check if it's obs. I'll take care of it but other than that I turn them away. If I charged a bench fee I'd be all about them because it would easy work lol.
@@FixedUntilBroken Depends on your business model. If you have enough electronic cluster work to keep you busy then turning these away makes sense. If you get a bunch of requests then you could charge a high enough bench diagnostic fee and per-hour fee for air core non electronic clusters that it's worthwhile. It's the "I don't want to screw with this." price. No shame in that. I know mechanics that quote some jobs they don't want to mess with that way. If someone pays it then you make enough that it's worthwhile. It all depends on your comfort level and business model.
@@TheOcculus I do no fix no fee. I don't charge a bench fee so it makes turning down stuff like this easy for me. I rarely take on anything at all that I have a question in my mind if I can fix it or not at the moment.
I don't know very many techs that do. I know Miami speedo did 2 years ago. I always just point people to him when they ask me to do obs. I don't know anyone else who does. I'm sure I could find more people on google but I don't really care lol
Thanks for the video. I have to change the speedometer motor in mine (reads 17.5% high at highway speed). I found a used cluster that only reads 5 or 6% high. Do you know if the tach and speedometer use the same motors (interchangeable)? The tach is dead on in both clusters. Also, would light machine oil (shaver oil) be OK in the motors (for my fuel gauge)? Thank you.
Great video! I have a 96 Tahoe and the temp sensor Will only read exactly halfway between 100° and 210° in my truck is it normal operating temperature. The truck runs perfect it’s just the gauge says the truck runs really really cold. Do you think changing out the oil in that motor will help? Also could you go into slightly greater detail on how to change the oil inside the motor? Another issue and the only other one that I have is the truth all motor. It only rotates A little bit then will stop.How do I fix that?
The fuel pump on my 1997 Suburban c1500 kept blowing fuses and the pump finally failed. When I changed the fuel-sending unit I found that the wires were melted and fused together. After replacing the sending unit I noticed that the fuel gauge started spinning wildly around and around at high speed and jamming against the oil pressure needle below it. It seems a lot worse than just missing oil. Would this indicate a bad gauge or sending unit? Could the shorted wires in the sending unit have damaged the gauge? How would I tell the difference? I have a multimeter and very limited knowledge of electronics. Thank you for any advice you can offer.
Had to re-watch you video since I first repaired my voltage and fuel air core motors. I finally replaced my pressure gauge ac motor and now I managed to put my needles all back on wrong... Fuel gauge stays at full... What did I do wrong? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
@fixed until broken, ok i have a question. All my gauges were fine until i took the needles off the motors thinking i needed to to get the black face plate off. Clearly i was wrong. Now when i turn the truck on all the gauges are off. Gas gauge went to mars, idle it says im doing 40mph and 3500rpm, battery gauge is just a hair off, oil and temp gauges dont move. What did i do wrong?? Sounded like u mentioned about having to zero them. Could that be my issue? And how exactly do i zero it. Couldn't tell from the video
Great video and good step by step. Living in Phoenix with the amount of salvage yards I have run across hundreds of these instrument clusters. One question I do have is what is the resistance and watt rating of the potentiometer you are using as in 1/4 watt 10k ohms or something different ? Also if its not too much to ask what size are the pin connectors you are using with the potentiometer ? Thanks in advance !
Got a 97 that fuel guage goes straight down and binds up the oil guage. Also speedometer is off. Probably 30 mph higher than actual. Are these fixable?.. I threw in another cluster and temp guage and speedometer goes up while sitting still goes to highest setting when truck starts. Confused on where guages should go when powered?
Wow! Thanks for showing this. The replacement gauge is no longer available, "F" series for a 99 Tahoe. Fuel gauge very twitchy, The Pressure gauge after starting goes to nearly 80, but comes down to 65 when normal temp (160) is reached and lower at idle around 20 psi. This is with Mobil 1 syn 5W30. Ever since a rebuilt motor was put in. The old one I use 10w30 and it never got that high, and ran around 45 normal which is what I am used to in a 350 v8. The speed O shows 60 mph for 55mph true with GPS and those road signs that show you speed. Do you think I need a new speed gauge? Or maybe adjust the zero up 5 mph? Anyway thanks again!!
on my 1998 gmc suburban and the instrument cluster i got from a 97 , the trip meter knob won't allow the plastic cover to be removed. does the small knob on the trip meter removable. ??
I followed your procedure and fuel gauge is still not working correctly. Initially the gauge would go way past the full position to the 3 o'clock position. Also it would oscillate at times. When I first checked motor it was very stiff. After installing dampening fluid it goes slightly below empty then when the engine is started it jitters about 1/4' deflection. What do you suggest at this point. Just to clarify this truck has dual tanks with a transfer pump between the two tanks. I have already replaced the pump and sending unit on the main tank. There appears to be a sending unit of some type on the rear tank. Not sure how this electrical system operates.
hello, what does my 1994 2 door blazer sport take? I replaced my oil pressure sensor 2 times and when left idling it goes to 0. so i connected oil pressure gauge tester and when idling it says 20 psi so somthing is clearly wrong here. I was thinking of replacing this oil pressure air core if that what mine takes. any suggestions are highly appreciated!! thanks for the video
I have a 95 chevy 1500 gas guage does a lot of bouncing and reads a little over half when it is actually empty I have replaced sending unit and checked grounds. I bought a aftermarket guage as well but it reads the same? Would this fix my problem?
Anyone know what the voltage on the signal wire from the vssb is supposed to be for a 95? Also can I just ground out the signal trace for the speedometer to test it after applying ignition and ground? Great video!
I have a 1998 GMC K2500 7.4 Suburban and the Fuel Guage is erratic and doesn't read right. Do you have a video of how to remove the cluster and lubrication of the guage motor?
Maybe you can help me out. I have a 1990 Chevy 1500, and I have had it for about 6 months now . Shortly after getting it, I noticed my odometer seems to work sometimes, either for the the whole duration of my ride or partial. I went ahead and replaced the speed sensor and have the same issue, it still works some of the time. When it does work, it doesn't seem like any gears in the odometer clusters are broken, it cycles through just fine. Any idea what this might be happening? Thanks
Matt I know this video is not recent but I have a quick question on powering up the speedo and marking it for alignment on replacing it. Does it also have it written on the pcb back. Can I apply power and ground to it to get the zero position to change that particular motor? How would you do it for the speedo. Thanks Matt. James
I have two 99 120mph clusters that read low for rpm and speed. I’ve held rpm at 2k and pinned needle on which now matches my scan tool but at idle it reads low. Replacing my 100mph cluster in 97 k1500 Any idea why?
Thanks for posting a video on this. So I have a 1995 Silverado that I believe has these same motors. Some of the motors jump every once in a while. My question is, can I add oil to them without having to pull the motors off of the board? Also, you showed in this video pulling air out of the motors before adding the oil, dose that also pull the oil out too? How much oil do you put in the motors? Do I need a syringe with a needle in it? Some information would greatly be appreciated. Thanks
My dad has a 97 Silverado and the rpm and speedometer both max out when the truck is turned on. Any idea what would cause this issue? Great video, thank you for your knowledge!
Thanks Matt. Is there a video on the odometer ? Great video thank you. I have one that is 15-20 mph to slow, but the tenths turns over perfectly on the money on the interstate. I have to run 90 mph according to odometer to run 70 mph. Thanks again Sir. Much appreciate any help with my situation.
@James Darrell Fultz Did you ever find a solution to your speedo problem? I'm thinking I may have a loose gauge cluster ground somewhere bc my fuel gauge reads 1/4 high, turn signal indicators work intermittently, and I see some needle bounce when turn signal is on.
Detailed Explanation for those Curious If you’re wondering he is using the Super Lube - 100 CST NOT 5000. For those who weren’t aware when he said thin enough it to make it in there that would have been the 1st clue but to make 100% certain I played back the footage of when he dropped the bottle and got a clear picture of which of those two option was “check marked” on the bottle. For application you’re actually going to be pushing the fluid AROUND the spindle so the spindle will go into the syringe and make a seal against the yellow plastic section surrounding it. By pulling back on the plunger you’ll be ideally creating a slight vacuum in the chamber through the slight gaps between the metal spindle and yellow plastic encouraging the thin silicone oil to flow back into. You see him perform this action a couple of times because it’s not perfect but the end goal is to just get SOME amount of fluid down in there. If you are wondering where exactly the oil will be going, check out: Air Core (Gauge) Motor Video by - FixItFRANK He videos an up close tear down of the motor which shows a circular neodymium magnet that is attached to the shaft but sealed in a small cavity in the yellow plastic toward the rear of the motor (FixitFrank vid 9min) It’s just slightly bigger than the magnet with a pin hole on each end for the shaft to stick through. The little holes act to keep the shaft centered and because there is NO form of additional sealing the silicone oil tends to dry out over time. The small amount of free space around the magnet gets filled with the silicone oil to act as the dampening.
Hope this follow up helps anyone trying to do this for themselves. If you’re looking for alternative viscosity silicone oils try searching for “ToneArm Silicone Dampening Fluid” they offer varying degrees of viscosity and while having a MUCH HIGHER CST you can simply add a drop to a larger quantity of 100 CST to get a custom viscosity that approaches a similar resistance to spinning as any of the good air core motors from your gauge cluster.
Great write up. Yes The way I do it isn't the best but It was the best I can do. Really just hoping to help DIY'ers with this video. Thanks for the write up!
I have a 1995 Gmc Sierra c1500 2wd pick up with a 8cy 5.0 in it and recently my speedometer and rpm went out and read zero I tried to replace the instrument cluster twice already with two different ones and still get a check gauges code. Does anyone have any advice? I have tried to change the speed senor as well.
Do these gauges reset to min when reinstalled on the vehicle? You said the motors have a home position and spun them, but I didn't see you move them back to min position before replacing the plexiglass face plate. I'm just curious because I'm thinking of replacing the faceplate with a US Speedo Kit and want to know how to not mess up my gauges. Also my fuel gauge flutters but reads correctly. Should I seek out a replacement motor from a salvage gauge cluster? Also, are those motors interchangeable between fuel, oil pressure, etc.?
Final question, would the needles from the newer 03 design fit and work on the 96-99 range cluster like you worked on here? This is for an aftermarket parts fitment. I cannot find many needles for the older design, but find many for the 03 and newer.
hello and excellent video! I have a question. My Chevy 97 C1500 has the "check gages" problem. I have read in various forums that the board needs to be replaced, do you know what this fault refers to? I appreciate any information.
I am not familiar with that light in the OBS stuff. Trailblazers had a check gauge light but that light was just an idiot light that would go off if you were overheating or something of that nature.
I have a 96 3500 dully with the fuel gauge doing the same thing what did you use to put the oil in is it like a turkey injector or do I need to buy a special syringe to put the Oil in
What causes the PRNDL Indicator illuminator to go out? Besides the cluster itself that is; have heard, that the headlight/dimmer switch could be malfunctioned.
Thank you for this I'm gonna service mine My oil pressure don't read rite and I know I got good psi on my mechanical gauge My fuel gauge vibrates lmao And every gauge but my MPH and RPM stay at half way when the trucks off lmao
I just put a new crate motor in my 96 ObS. Is there a way to re set the odometer so I can accurately track the miles on the new engine..or do I have to buy a new cluster from Dakota digital?
Be careful with that. Milage goes with the chassis/vin not the engine so you could get in trouble with odometer tampering. I'd recommend legal advice before doing that. There are loop holes but CZcams isn't the place for answers on something that can have $10,000 fine associated with it.
@@johnnyboy859 no problem. It's not that it can't be done but it varies from state to state with different disclosure rules so I recommend getting legal advice before starting down that path
When your pulling the air is it pulling the oil out also? I been trying and trying to figure this out but it's the same everytime. I put the syringe over the needle and yellow part and its really hard to push the oil out. What am i doing wrong?
Doesn't sound like your doing anything wrong. some of the really ragged out motors can be too far gone. The other thing is the original "oil" in them when they where built was more of a grease because the didn't have to inject it. If you actually unwind the motor you could put a grease in it. The oil helps but its not as a good as original. Its just the best you cant do when you don't have access to new parts anymore
Thank you buddy. I have put the p motor (pressure) for the fuel and it seems to be working lol it just moves a bit. I can't find the parts new i guess the junk yard
Can I send mine to you to fix? I am not a good fixer upper. I have a spare that I want to have repaired and then installed into my 95 Yukon. I don't know what year the spare is because I found it. The only difference I see on the face is that the tach on the spare goes to 6. The one in the Yukon now goes to 5
Yes the board with the gear indicator. Was curious cause there is NOTHING on it in the factory service manuals. Do you know where I can get a complete set of the aircore motors for a 97 cluster?
They're not $20 anymore their $60 and up dollars and if you find 120 mph Escalade it's going to be $100 and up if you luck up and find a 130mph ppv cluster they're gold and are almost $500
Never was a business in the first place. It's a hobby. I got a new job aerospace company and just haven't had time to get to everyone. Sorry if I never replied or called back but you probably messaged about a vehicle I don't regularly do and I currently don't have the time to make a harness and get pin outs for. Your probably in the pile of 87 other messages I haven't responded to. Sorry if that's caused you any inconveniences but it's not a business... Facebook just doesn't have hobby pages. They used to just call it pages but I know they pass off all pages as some sort of business.
My problem is in my 95' c3500 oil pressure gauge. The wire to the sensor was melted from exhaust. so i thought that was the problem. Even after i repaired the wire the gauge stays in the same position as in this video.. i can tell it gets some kind of power to it as when i turn ignition on, it fluctuates but, stays in the same position on or off
Said a whole lot of nothing .. when it was time to inject oil he left that out .. I have no idea where to inject fluid .. would have helped to let us know where to buy oil .suff about customer just took time ..
How do I adjust the speedometer to read correctly for larger wheels on 1996 Chevy K1500? reads ok at 5 MPH but the faster I go the more it is off (reads faster then the truck is actually moving) at vehical speed of 70 the meter reads 7 MPR faster. {HELP}!
Dude, this video helped me so much. I was going to get gauges repair $350 and new cluster $505 or a used one with a hell of a lot of mile - e.g. 250K miles when mine only had 68K. I tested the gauges and they were fine. In a shimmer of light I noticed under the green coating that a strip had burned out. If you go to 7:13 of your video, look at the lower right bulb. That thin outer strip had a burn break in it. When I tested it with a volt meter around where you right thumb is it read 12v. when I went past the break it read 3.4v I soldered a jumper wire and everything work perfectly now. I would not have attempted a troubleshoot without your excellent lead. My mind was locked into gauges when I have not experience with and I found an electrical problem when I am good at. Thank you!
You are a genius Sir. Very simple to understand video with excellent content. Thank you. A+
THANKS for taking the time to MAKE & post this video ...IT HELPS W/some question i had
MY LOCAL PIC N PULL WANTS 47$ FPR THE INSTRUMENT CLUSTER
Super Helpful. Many Thanks. Replacing stepper for speedo reading 15m over actual.
Loved this video man. Always wondered wassup with them.. maybe should do one on odometer correction
Great video Matt never seen the inside of one of the obs
Hi there Thank you very much, i didnt even know that you ad oil to it like that, great vid.
Great educational video. Thank You.
Nice work Matt! I think all us tech's can unite and agree mechanical odometer clusters are yuky. Most of the time they are misdiagnosed, so time is spent to prove there is nothing wrong (usally truck wiring or bad sensors/ground) and if there is actually a problem in the cluster good parts are difficult to find, as you covered I agree!
Exactly why I don't offer them as a service. If they come in the mail because I forgot to check if it's obs. I'll take care of it but other than that I turn them away. If I charged a bench fee I'd be all about them because it would easy work lol.
@@FixedUntilBroken Depends on your business model. If you have enough electronic cluster work to keep you busy then turning these away makes sense.
If you get a bunch of requests then you could charge a high enough bench diagnostic fee and per-hour fee for air core non electronic clusters that it's worthwhile. It's the "I don't want to screw with this." price. No shame in that. I know mechanics that quote some jobs they don't want to mess with that way. If someone pays it then you make enough that it's worthwhile.
It all depends on your comfort level and business model.
@@TheOcculus I do no fix no fee. I don't charge a bench fee so it makes turning down stuff like this easy for me. I rarely take on anything at all that I have a question in my mind if I can fix it or not at the moment.
Wow, nice! Now I understand why you don't fix obs style clusters. It makes sense now
I don't know very many techs that do. I know Miami speedo did 2 years ago. I always just point people to him when they ask me to do obs. I don't know anyone else who does. I'm sure I could find more people on google but I don't really care lol
New subscriber you were recommended by jeffcortix and thanks for sharing. Looking forward to viewing your channel Artie👍
Thanks!
Thanks for the video. I have to change the speedometer motor in mine (reads 17.5% high at highway speed). I found a used cluster that only reads 5 or 6% high. Do you know if the tach and speedometer use the same motors (interchangeable)? The tach is dead on in both clusters. Also, would light machine oil (shaver oil) be OK in the motors (for my fuel gauge)? Thank you.
Great video! I have a 96 Tahoe and the temp sensor Will only read exactly halfway between 100° and 210° in my truck is it normal operating temperature. The truck runs perfect it’s just the gauge says the truck runs really really cold. Do you think changing out the oil in that motor will help? Also could you go into slightly greater detail on how to change the oil inside the motor? Another issue and the only other one that I have is the truth all motor. It only rotates A little bit then will stop.How do I fix that?
The fuel pump on my 1997 Suburban c1500 kept blowing fuses and the pump finally failed. When I changed the fuel-sending unit I found that the wires were melted and fused together. After replacing the sending unit I noticed that the fuel gauge started spinning wildly around and around at high speed and jamming against the oil pressure needle below it. It seems a lot worse than just missing oil. Would this indicate a bad gauge or sending unit? Could the shorted wires in the sending unit have damaged the gauge? How would I tell the difference? I have a multimeter and very limited knowledge of electronics. Thank you for any advice you can offer.
Had to re-watch you video since I first repaired my voltage and fuel air core motors. I finally replaced my pressure gauge ac motor and now I managed to put my needles all back on wrong... Fuel gauge stays at full... What did I do wrong? Any help would be greatly appreciated.
@fixed until broken, ok i have a question. All my gauges were fine until i took the needles off the motors thinking i needed to to get the black face plate off. Clearly i was wrong. Now when i turn the truck on all the gauges are off. Gas gauge went to mars, idle it says im doing 40mph and 3500rpm, battery gauge is just a hair off, oil and temp gauges dont move. What did i do wrong?? Sounded like u mentioned about having to zero them. Could that be my issue? And how exactly do i zero it. Couldn't tell from the video
Great video and good step by step. Living in Phoenix with the amount of salvage yards I have run across hundreds of these instrument clusters. One question I do have is what is the resistance and watt rating of the potentiometer you are using as in 1/4 watt 10k ohms or something different ? Also if its not too much to ask what size are the pin connectors you are using with the potentiometer ? Thanks in advance !
Got to hate waiting over a year with no answer
@@georgiabigfootBut wait, it gets longer!
Got a 97 that fuel guage goes straight down and binds up the oil guage. Also speedometer is off. Probably 30 mph higher than actual. Are these fixable?.. I threw in another cluster and temp guage and speedometer goes up while sitting still goes to highest setting when truck starts. Confused on where guages should go when powered?
Wow! Thanks for showing this. The replacement gauge is no longer available, "F" series for a 99 Tahoe. Fuel gauge very twitchy, The Pressure gauge after starting goes to nearly 80, but comes down to 65 when normal temp (160) is reached and lower at idle around 20 psi. This is with Mobil 1 syn 5W30. Ever since a rebuilt motor was put in. The old one I use 10w30 and it never got that high, and ran around 45 normal which is what I am used to in a 350 v8. The speed O shows 60 mph for 55mph true with GPS and those road signs that show you speed. Do you think I need a new speed gauge? Or maybe adjust the zero up 5 mph? Anyway thanks again!!
What viscosity of Super Lube Silicone oil did you inject as dampening fluid for the Fuel gauge aircore motor, is it 100 CSt or 350 CSt.
What part number for the Super Lube silicone oil are you using?
on my 1998 gmc suburban and the instrument cluster i got from a 97 , the trip meter knob won't allow the plastic cover to be removed. does the small knob on the trip meter removable. ??
I followed your procedure and fuel gauge is still not working correctly. Initially the gauge would go way past the full position to the 3 o'clock position. Also it would oscillate at times. When I first checked motor it was very stiff. After installing dampening fluid it goes slightly below empty then when the engine is started it jitters about 1/4' deflection. What do you suggest at this point. Just to clarify this truck has dual tanks with a transfer pump between the two tanks. I have already replaced the pump and sending unit on the main tank. There appears to be a sending unit of some type on the rear tank. Not sure how this electrical system operates.
I have a 96 chevy c3500. My speedometer will not go over 50 MPH. In your experience, is this a stepper motor issue? Thanks in advanced. Great video!!
hello, what does my 1994 2 door blazer sport take? I replaced my oil pressure sensor 2 times and when left idling it goes to 0.
so i connected oil pressure gauge tester and when idling it says 20 psi so somthing is clearly wrong here. I was thinking of replacing this oil pressure air core if that what mine takes. any suggestions are highly appreciated!! thanks for the video
I have a 95 chevy 1500 gas guage does a lot of bouncing and reads a little over half when it is actually empty I have replaced sending unit and checked grounds. I bought a aftermarket guage as well but it reads the same? Would this fix my problem?
Super lube makes 4 different viscosity levels all with the same label. Can you specify which one you are using here ?
Anyone know what the voltage on the signal wire from the vssb is supposed to be for a 95? Also can I just ground out the signal trace for the speedometer to test it after applying ignition and ground? Great video!
I have a 1998 GMC K2500 7.4 Suburban and the Fuel Guage is erratic and doesn't read right.
Do you have a video of how to remove the cluster and lubrication of the guage motor?
Maybe you can help me out. I have a 1990 Chevy 1500, and I have had it for about 6 months now . Shortly after getting it, I noticed my odometer seems to work sometimes, either for the the whole duration of my ride or partial. I went ahead and replaced the speed sensor and have the same issue, it still works some of the time. When it does work, it doesn't seem like any gears in the odometer clusters are broken, it cycles through just fine. Any idea what this might be happening? Thanks
Hey im have a 97 tahoe. The speedo is off like I put bigger tires on. I still have the stock size. What's the fix?
What is the LED replacement sizes to upgrade the old blubs
Matt I know this video is not recent but I have a quick question on powering up the speedo and marking it for alignment on replacing it. Does it also have it written on the pcb back. Can I apply power and ground to it to get the zero position to change that particular motor? How would you do it for the speedo. Thanks Matt. James
Pretty much everything is marked. I don't do them enough to remember off the top of my head powering up the speedo.
Great video! Did you say what gauge hypodermic needle you used? I missed it.
Great video. Where are you injecting the oil? Throw the output shaft. What are you using for an injector?
Yes and just a normal 20 ml syringe
I have two 99 120mph clusters that read low for rpm and speed. I’ve held rpm at 2k and pinned needle on which now matches my scan tool but at idle it reads low.
Replacing my 100mph cluster in 97 k1500
Any idea why?
Thanks for posting a video on this.
So I have a 1995 Silverado that I believe has these same motors. Some of the motors jump every once in a while. My question is, can I add oil to them without having to pull the motors off of the board?
Also, you showed in this video pulling air out of the motors before adding the oil, dose that also pull the oil out too? How much oil do you put in the motors? Do I need a syringe with a needle in it? Some information would greatly be appreciated.
Thanks
Wondering after fixed fuel needle it is not at zero when put back???
Have any tips on how to repair the odometer/trip meter? All my gauges work except the odometer and trip.
My dad has a 97 Silverado and the rpm and speedometer both max out when the truck is turned on. Any idea what would cause this issue? Great video, thank you for your knowledge!
what is the grease or oil lubricant that you use on the gauge motors ?
What would cause the speedometer needle to be off but mileage counter is working fine?
How long does it take for the fluid to leak back out after you refill them?
Matt, that Super Lube oil comes in many weights (viscosity). Can you provide the CST rating for the oil you use?
I was thinking that myself because I've seen it in 100 and 5,000. 100 is super thin like water and 5,000 is thick like honey.
I ordered 100 weight because the video wasn't clear on that and it was too thin to completely dampen the movements so I ordered 5000 to try again.
What super lube silicone oil do you use? 100 CST or 5000 CST?
You just suck out air then Inject oil in?
I can’t bench test everything except the rpm tach gauge I’m having trouble figuring out how. Any advice?
What viscosity of oil do you recommend/use?
Thanks Matt. Is there a video on the odometer ? Great video thank you. I have one that is 15-20 mph to slow, but the tenths turns over perfectly on the money on the interstate. I have to run 90 mph according to odometer to run 70 mph. Thanks again Sir. Much appreciate any help with my situation.
My 2000 Z71 (built 01/00) speedo does the same, but fuel reads 1/4 tank high as well. Trying to figure out what to do.
@@grinchusmc3521 Fuel sender in tank may be bad.
@James Darrell Fultz Did you ever find a solution to your speedo problem? I'm thinking I may have a loose gauge cluster ground somewhere bc my fuel gauge reads 1/4 high, turn signal indicators work intermittently, and I see some needle bounce when turn signal is on.
Detailed Explanation for those Curious
If you’re wondering he is using the Super Lube - 100 CST NOT 5000.
For those who weren’t aware when he said thin enough it to make it in there that would have been the 1st clue but to make 100% certain I played back the footage of when he dropped the bottle and got a clear picture of which of those two option was “check marked” on the bottle.
For application you’re actually going to be pushing the fluid AROUND the spindle so the spindle will go into the syringe and make a seal against the yellow plastic section surrounding it. By pulling back on the plunger you’ll be ideally creating a slight vacuum in the chamber through the slight gaps between the metal spindle and yellow plastic encouraging the thin silicone oil to flow back into. You see him perform this action a couple of times because it’s not perfect but the end goal is to just get SOME amount of fluid down in there.
If you are wondering where exactly the oil will be going, check out:
Air Core (Gauge) Motor Video by -
FixItFRANK
He videos an up close tear down of the motor which shows a circular neodymium magnet that is attached to the shaft but sealed in a small cavity in the yellow plastic toward the rear of the motor (FixitFrank vid 9min) It’s just slightly bigger than the magnet with a pin hole on each end for the shaft to stick through. The little holes act to keep the shaft centered and because there is NO form of additional sealing the silicone oil tends to dry out over time. The small amount of free space around the magnet gets filled with the silicone oil to act as the dampening.
Hope this follow up helps anyone trying to do this for themselves. If you’re looking for alternative viscosity silicone oils try searching for “ToneArm Silicone Dampening Fluid” they offer varying degrees of viscosity and while having a MUCH HIGHER CST you can simply add a drop to a larger quantity of 100 CST to get a custom viscosity that approaches a similar resistance to spinning as any of the good air core motors from your gauge cluster.
Great write up. Yes The way I do it isn't the best but It was the best I can do. Really just hoping to help DIY'ers with this video. Thanks for the write up!
Thank you
What syringe do you use and is there a needle on it ? Do you have a Amazon link you could give me please?
And that's super lube 100 cst right?
@@kurtholzbacher9984 its a 20 ml syringe
I have a 1995 Gmc Sierra c1500 2wd pick up with a 8cy 5.0 in it and recently my speedometer and rpm went out and read zero I tried to replace the instrument cluster twice already with two different ones and still get a check gauges code. Does anyone have any advice? I have tried to change the speed senor as well.
Do these gauges reset to min when reinstalled on the vehicle? You said the motors have a home position and spun them, but I didn't see you move them back to min position before replacing the plexiglass face plate. I'm just curious because I'm thinking of replacing the faceplate with a US Speedo Kit and want to know how to not mess up my gauges.
Also my fuel gauge flutters but reads correctly. Should I seek out a replacement motor from a salvage gauge cluster?
Also, are those motors interchangeable between fuel, oil pressure, etc.?
Final question, would the needles from the newer 03 design fit and work on the 96-99 range cluster like you worked on here? This is for an aftermarket parts fitment. I cannot find many needles for the older design, but find many for the 03 and newer.
No the newer needles do not fit. The motor has a home when powered only it doesn't do anything when not powered
What Surrenge is that is it something special I can buy?
What oil do you use to fixs them thank you
I have issues with my trip meter not working sporadically. What are your suggestions for making it work reliabile?
Take it out and clean it. Other than that you might be looking at mechanical issues with it
Do you have a website that I can contact you regarding a instrument cluster repair???
hello and excellent video! I have a question. My Chevy 97 C1500 has the "check gages" problem. I have read in various forums that the board needs to be replaced, do you know what this fault refers to? I appreciate any information.
I am not familiar with that light in the OBS stuff. Trailblazers had a check gauge light but that light was just an idiot light that would go off if you were overheating or something of that nature.
I have a 96 3500 dully with the fuel gauge doing the same thing what did you use to put the oil in is it like a turkey injector or do I need to buy a special syringe to put the Oil in
what tool did you use to get the air out
It’s possible connect 1995 cluster on 1993? That’s the same no?
Hey I just bought a 93 Chevy 1500 and the fuel gauge just spins and doesn’t work at all wasn’t sure exactly what to do
What causes the PRNDL Indicator illuminator to go out? Besides the cluster itself that is; have heard, that the headlight/dimmer switch could be malfunctioned.
Look into the gear switch on the transmission. LEDs rarely go out.
Where can u get the motors for 96chevy Tahoe have same issue
Thank you for this I'm gonna service mine
My oil pressure don't read rite and I know I got good psi on my mechanical gauge
My fuel gauge vibrates lmao
And every gauge but my MPH and RPM stay at half way when the trucks off lmao
Sounds like a ground or electrical issue if you have gauges not reading right when off too
Would I 95 cluster working in a 93 Silverado?
Will a 97 chevy cluster fit in a 95 chevy
Do you take requests or have a business that repairs these? I’m having issues with mine
My PRND321 LIGHT STOPED WORKING...is this something you can fix
I just put a new crate motor in my 96 ObS. Is there a way to re set the odometer so I can accurately track the miles on the new engine..or do I have to buy a new cluster from Dakota digital?
Be careful with that. Milage goes with the chassis/vin not the engine so you could get in trouble with odometer tampering. I'd recommend legal advice before doing that. There are loop holes but CZcams isn't the place for answers on something that can have $10,000 fine associated with it.
@@FixedUntilBroken oh wow!! Thank you for that. I had no idea!!!!!
@@johnnyboy859 no problem. It's not that it can't be done but it varies from state to state with different disclosure rules so I recommend getting legal advice before starting down that path
When your pulling the air is it pulling the oil out also? I been trying and trying to figure this out but it's the same everytime. I put the syringe over the needle and yellow part and its really hard to push the oil out. What am i doing wrong?
Doesn't sound like your doing anything wrong. some of the really ragged out motors can be too far gone. The other thing is the original "oil" in them when they where built was more of a grease because the didn't have to inject it. If you actually unwind the motor you could put a grease in it. The oil helps but its not as a good as original. Its just the best you cant do when you don't have access to new parts anymore
Thank you buddy. I have put the p motor (pressure) for the fuel and it seems to be working lol it just moves a bit. I can't find the parts new i guess the junk yard
Can the fuel gauge be oil with out pulling the motor and just pulling the needle?
If you leave the motors in and oil it you will probably get oil on the inlay and that's hard to clean off
Can I send mine to you to fix? I am not a good fixer upper.
I have a spare that I want to have repaired and then installed into my 95 Yukon. I don't know what year the spare is because I found it. The only difference I see on the face is that the tach on the spare goes to 6. The one in the Yukon now goes to 5
I don't do the obs as a service I just did this one because it showed up.
You got a diesel cluster that's why the tac only goes to 5.
My Yukon 95 Yukon goes to 5. That’s because it has a 4 speed in the 95s
Are the needles from the obs interchangeable with 99-02
Not sure on the length of them but dia of the shaft of the motors are the same
They are just shorter on the 99-02 in length but will work
I bought that super lube silicone oil and tried this with a negative result. Either this oil is too thin for dampening these or the motor is wore out.
Sometimes they are just too far gone. It's just the only option without replacing the motor.
Could I send you my 95? The only gauge broken is the Battery gauge. It's pegged above the highest mark.
Any idea why my tachometer and speedometer needles are both stuck all the way to the right on my 97 Chevy?
Same issue on mine.
Same
What about if the tach is reading way off? Reads high. Like 5000 at actual 2200 or so. Not the truck, other cluster reads good.
I didn’t know they came a part like that lol
Can I use WD40 oil ? My gas gauge is doing the same thing ? Great video . Cheers
@AK-47 I never tried it
I HAVE A K3500 CHEVY AND SOME OF MY LIGHT IS LITTLE NUTS AS IN GEAR LIGHT IS NOW FLASHING . LIKE MOSECODA
Where can I find that syringe that you’re using to fill those needles?
amazon and ebay its just a normal one.
@@FixedUntilBroken What size (cc capacity) is the syringe?
What if only half the illumination is working with all new bulbs?
Its like weeeeeeeeeeee we riding spinnas
Owner must have been playing too much three 6 Mafia before he sent the cluster
Will a 4x4 cluster work in a2wd
yes
What do you use to power up the cluster on the bench?
An adjustable bench power supply. Normally my Owon branded one
@@FixedUntilBroken Thanks for the reply is there a cheap option I will only be doing this once I hope to find the key on location of the motors?
the speedometer in mine is way off and i have a new censor and the right size tires
They aren't cheap in my neck of the woods, the wrecker i checked wants $125 for 98 dash cluster.
Ever researched the board inside the cluster?
Nope. I don't like working on these and don't offer them as a service. I assume you're talking about the sub board under it not the main flex pcb.
Yes the board with the gear indicator. Was curious cause there is NOTHING on it in the factory service manuals. Do you know where I can get a complete set of the aircore motors for a 97 cluster?
@@DanMcD80 Parts are the main reason I am not in the line of fix them. No one sells a full kit. If any new ones are still floating around its all NOS.
@@FixedUntilBroken nos?
@@DanMcD80 new old stock
How can I get in touch with you
How to oil my fuel gauge ?
They're not $20 anymore their $60 and up dollars and if you find 120 mph Escalade it's going to be $100 and up if you luck up and find a 130mph ppv cluster they're gold and are almost $500
Dude a damn Ac heater control switch is almost 300 fkin dollars .-.
The upfront description says this is for 95-99 year models but then your first sentence says it about 1999 and up. I have a 1995 Yukon.
I said 99 and older not 99 and up. Sorry if sounded like up though.
Apparently they are out of business. I called the number provided on FB, left a message and sent a message on messenger, no reply to either?
Never was a business in the first place. It's a hobby.
I got a new job aerospace company and just haven't had time to get to everyone. Sorry if I never replied or called back but you probably messaged about a vehicle I don't regularly do and I currently don't have the time to make a harness and get pin outs for. Your probably in the pile of 87 other messages I haven't responded to.
Sorry if that's caused you any inconveniences but it's not a business... Facebook just doesn't have hobby pages. They used to just call it pages but I know they pass off all pages as some sort of business.
Matt when you are injecting the oil , where is the hole to put the oil into
its just going between the stator shaft and the seal.
My problem is in my 95' c3500 oil pressure gauge. The wire to the sensor was melted from exhaust. so i thought that was the problem. Even after i repaired the wire the gauge stays in the same position as in this video.. i can tell it gets some kind of power to it as when i turn ignition on, it fluctuates but, stays in the same position on or off
1997 speedometer quit working.
If the cluster really takes a dump the truck will not run also if you remove it it will not run same on the obs fords
OBS GMs will run run fine without the cluster same with nbs, nnbs
Said a whole lot of nothing .. when it was time to inject oil he left that out .. I have no idea where to inject fluid .. would have helped to let us know where to buy oil .suff about customer just took time ..
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How do I adjust the speedometer to read correctly for larger wheels on 1996 Chevy K1500? reads ok at 5 MPH but the faster I go the more it is off (reads faster then the truck is actually moving) at vehical speed of 70 the meter reads 7 MPR faster. {HELP}!
Don't buy new crap cars restore something older you will be happier in the long run.
Sucks that no one cares about OBS
It's not so much no one cares. It's that parts aren't available, used clusters are too cheap to make it viable to repair them